Pick the size and the detail, and the kind of artist or their hourly rate if you know it: see the likely price, the hours and sessions it takes, and the tip, from the prices and times tattoo studios publish. American prices, in dollars.
Small (2–4 in) · shaded · experienced artist
About $150, plus a $30 tipSmall tattoos are usually priced by the piece: published prices run $50–$250. About 2 hours in the chair, one session.
What the studios say
Times quoted from goodwork, ReviewTattoo, Freshly Inked, Tenderfoot Studio and Minimal NYC; prices and rates from Hustle Butter, Art Collector Tattoo and Certified Tattoo Academy; tips from Tattooing 101, Tattoo Studio Pro and Certified Tattoo Studios. Checked 2026-09-27. Ours: where the detail and the artist put a piece inside those ranges.
Quick answer: a tiny tattoo starts at about $100, a small one runs $50–$250, a medium one $200–$850 and a large one $500–$2,000. Sleeves and back pieces are charged by the hour, $50 to $500 an hour depending on the artist, over many sessions. Tip 20%: 15% if it was okay, 25% if it is great.
How to use it
Pick the size and the detail. If you know your artist’s hourly rate, type it: your number beats every published range. If not, tap the kind of artist. The answer is the likely price and the tip, the time in the chair, how many sessions it takes and the range for that size, with the studios’ own words under it. Tap how the work was to move the tip between 15, 20 and 25%.
Price and time, by size
Studios price small pieces by the piece and big ones by the hour: “most small and medium tattoos are priced by the piece!” (Art Collector Tattoo), while a full sleeve “could take several sessions” charged by the hour (Hustle Butter). Each range below is the span of at least two published guides.
| Size | Time | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny (under 2 in) | 0.5–1.5 hours | $100–$200 |
| Small (2–4 in) | 1–3 hours | $50–$250 |
| Medium (4–8 in) | 2–5 hours | $200–$850 |
| Large (8 in and up) | 4–8 hours | $500–$2,000 |
| Half sleeve (shoulder to elbow, or elbow to wrist) | 5–20 hours | by the hour |
| Full sleeve (shoulder to wrist) | 15–50 hours | $2,000–$12,000 |
| Full back (shoulders to lower back) | 20–80 hours | by the hour |
The times are from goodwork and ReviewTattoo (a small piece “1 – 2 hours” and “1–3 hours”), Tenderfoot Studio for half sleeves and Freshly Inked for sleeves (“between 15 and 30 hours of actual tattooing”). The prices are from Hustle Butter, Art Collector Tattoo and Certified Tattoo Academy. Detail moves a piece up its range: “Color or full shading takes longer than just lines” (Tenderfoot). The calculator puts line work at the low end, shaded in the middle and colour or realism at the top; that placing is ours.
What artists charge an hour
| Artist | Per hour |
|---|---|
| Newer artist | $50–$130 |
| Experienced artist | $150–$300 |
| In-demand artist | $200–$500 |
Art Collector Tattoo lists “Junior Artist (1-3 years) : $50-$130 per hour”, “Experienced Artist (5+ years) : $150-$300 per hour” and “Pro or Famous Artist : $300-$500 per hour”; Certified Tattoo Academy puts new artists at $80–$120 and top professionals at $200–$300, and Hustle Butter says “established artists commonly charge $150–$250 per hour”. Where they disagree, the table shows the span. For a sleeve or a back piece without your artist’s own rate, the calculator uses the middle of the range, which is also ours.
Sessions and healing
“Most artists cap individual sessions at 4–6 hours” (ReviewTattoo), so anything longer is split up, and the skin heals between sittings: “about 3 to 4 weeks” (Minimal NYC) to “4 to 6 weeks” (Freshly Inked). A full sleeve is several months of appointments.
How much to tip a tattoo artist
Tattooing 101: “15% Tip: ‘Okay’ · 20% Tip: ‘Good’ · 25% Tip: ‘Great’”. Tattoo Studio Pro: “20% is the standard.” Certified Tattoo Studios starts lower, at “around 10-20% of the total cost”. For a piece done over several sittings, “you should tip after each session” (Tattooing 101), on what that session cost.
Where it goes changes the price
“Areas like ribs, feet, and hands are more sensitive and technically demanding. Because of the added difficulty, many studios set higher minimums or limit free touch-ups for hands, fingers, and feet, which raises the final price” (Hustle Butter); goodwork adds that “tricky placements like ribs, hands, or feet” stretch the tattooing. Expect the top of the range there. How much each spot is said to hurt is on our tattoo pain chart.
Four worked examples
A small shaded piece by an experienced artist: about $150, plus a $30 tip. About 2 hours, one session.
A medium colour piece by an in-demand artist: about $850, plus a $170 tip, the top of the published $200–$850.
A medium shaded piece at your artist’s $180 an hour: about 3.5 hours, so about $630, plus a $126 tip.
A shaded half sleeve by an experienced artist: about 12.5 hours at $225 an hour, about $2,810, plus a $562 tip, over 3 to 4 sessions.
Common mistakes
- Budgeting for the tattoo and not the tip. Add 20% to the price before you book.
- Comparing hourly rates for a small piece. Small tattoos are usually priced by the piece; ask for the piece price.
- Expecting a sleeve in one sitting. Sessions stop at 4 to 6 hours, weeks apart.
- Forgetting the placement. Hands, feet and ribs cost more and may not include free touch-ups.
- Tipping once at the end of a big piece. Tip at each session, on that session’s cost.
More on Needle Style
Tattoo ideas to price up: biblical sleeve tattoos for women, leg sleeve tattoos, shoulder cap tattoos and foot tattoos.
Times from goodwork, ReviewTattoo, Freshly Inked, Tenderfoot Studio and Minimal NYC; prices and rates from Hustle Butter, Art Collector Tattoo and Certified Tattoo Academy; tips from Tattooing 101, Tattoo Studio Pro and Certified Tattoo Studios. Checked 2026-09-27. Prices move, so we re-read these every three months.
FAQ
How much does a tattoo cost?
About $100 for a tiny piece, $50–$250 for a small one, $200–$850 for a medium one and $500–$2,000 for a large one. Sleeves and back pieces are charged by the hour, usually $2,000 and up for a full sleeve. Add a 20% tip.
How much should you tip a tattoo artist?
20% is the standard: 15% if the work was okay and 25% if it is great. Some guides start at 10%. For a piece done in several sessions, tip at each one.
How much is a small tattoo?
$50 to $250 in the published prices, and most shops have a minimum of about $100 even for a tiny one. It takes 1 to 3 hours.
How much does a sleeve tattoo cost?
Published prices run from about $2,000 to $12,000 for a full sleeve: 15 to 50 hours at the artist’s hourly rate, over several sessions weeks apart.
How long does a tattoo take?
30 to 90 minutes for a tiny piece, 1 to 3 hours for a small one, 2 to 5 for a medium one and 4 to 8 for a large one. A full sleeve takes 15 to 50 hours over several sessions.
Do you tip after every tattoo session?
Yes: the tattoo guides say to tip after each session, on what that session cost, rather than once at the end.
Why do hands, feet and ribs cost more?
They are more sensitive and harder to tattoo, so many studios set higher minimums there or limit free touch-ups.